Last Modified: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 2:33 p.m.

Capt. Frank Stout, of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, said officers have cited drivers for detour violations in the past couple of weeks. They called in extra help from the Hendersonville Police Department when the number of trucks disobeying the detour became too much for one agency to patrol.

Work to repair the eastbound lane of the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge over the Green River was set to conclude Wednesday night. Crews are expected to return to work on the westbound bridge in a couple of weeks after another bridge on S.C. Highway 11 is repaired to handle the diverted commercial truck flow.

The N.C. Department of Transportation hired Buckeye Construction of Canton for the $1.2 million project to replace joints that have deteriorated on the I-26 bridge. Buckeye hired the Sheriff’s Office and off-duty officers from Hendersonville to enforce the detour for safety after a worker was almost hit by a commercial truck when construction began March 13.

No workers have been injured, but officers say there have been some close calls when big trucks disobey the signs and continue onto the bridge, which has been reduced to one narrow lane.

Cars have been permitted across the bridge, but the travel lane has been narrowed from 12 feet to 10 feet due to the nature of the work involved. Truck traffic was directed off I-26 eastbound at Exit 54 onto U.S. Highway 25 south to S.C. Highway 11 and back to I-26.

But many commercial truck drivers have been ignoring the signs “in a huge way,” Stout said. All agencies, including the N.C. Highway Patrol, he added, have written several tickets.

“Some of them told our officers they just did not see the sign,” Stout said. “Evidently, there are a lot of people not seeing the sign” which tells all trucks to take Exit 54.

Sheriff’s deputies have been patrolling the area 24 hours a day and seven days a week since March 13. They plan to patrol the westbound side once work begins on that bridge. The stops have not netted a significant amount of other violations.

The detour takes trucks into South Carolina, where local commercial carriers may run into problems.

Truckers who don’t have proper tags to travel in South Carolina, such as an International Registration Plan or fuel marker for the state, should contact the NCDOT for information on alternative routes that don’t leave the state, said Cpl. Mike Still of the S.C. State Transport Police.

It is important they have the correct commercial driving licenses, he added.

There are also temporary tags that truck drivers can use to drive the route through South Carolina.

<p>Eighteen truck drivers were ticketed Tuesday by the Hendersonville Police Department for ignoring detour signs staked along Interstate 26 in Green River to protect bridge repair crews.</p><p>Capt. Frank Stout, of the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, said officers have cited drivers for detour violations in the past couple of weeks. They called in extra help from the Hendersonville Police Department when the number of trucks disobeying the detour became too much for one agency to patrol.</p><p>Work to repair the eastbound lane of the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge over the Green River was set to conclude Wednesday night. Crews are expected to return to work on the westbound bridge in a couple of weeks after another bridge on S.C. Highway 11 is repaired to handle the diverted commercial truck flow.</p><p>The N.C. Department of Transportation hired Buckeye Construction of Canton for the $1.2 million project to replace joints that have deteriorated on the I-26 bridge. Buckeye hired the Sheriff's Office and off-duty officers from Hendersonville to enforce the detour for safety after a worker was almost hit by a commercial truck when construction began March 13. </p><p>No workers have been injured, but officers say there have been some close calls when big trucks disobey the signs and continue onto the bridge, which has been reduced to one narrow lane.</p><p>Cars have been permitted across the bridge, but the travel lane has been narrowed from 12 feet to 10 feet due to the nature of the work involved. Truck traffic was directed off I-26 eastbound at Exit 54 onto U.S. Highway 25 south to S.C. Highway 11 and back to I-26.</p><p>But many commercial truck drivers have been ignoring the signs “in a huge way,” Stout said. All agencies, including the N.C. Highway Patrol, he added, have written several tickets. </p><p>“Some of them told our officers they just did not see the sign,” Stout said. “Evidently, there are a lot of people not seeing the sign” which tells all trucks to take Exit 54.</p><p>Hendersonville Patrol Capt. Bruce Simonds said the agency has cited 37 drivers. Truck drivers face a fine of $50 and court costs of $188.</p><p>Sheriff's deputies have been patrolling the area 24 hours a day and seven days a week since March 13. They plan to patrol the westbound side once work begins on that bridge. The stops have not netted a significant amount of other violations.</p><p>The detour takes trucks into South Carolina, where local commercial carriers may run into problems.</p><p>Truckers who don't have proper tags to travel in South Carolina, such as an International Registration Plan or fuel marker for the state, should contact the NCDOT for information on alternative routes that don't leave the state, said Cpl. Mike Still of the S.C. State Transport Police.</p><p>It is important they have the correct commercial driving licenses, he added. </p><p>There are also temporary tags that truck drivers can use to drive the route through South Carolina.</p><p>Reporter Mark Schulman contributed to this report.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>